Coyle and Swail star in podium finish for Ireland at Canadian Nations Cup

The Irish Show Jumping team recorded a podium finish in the Canadian Nations Cup at Langley in the early hours of this morning, producing two double clear rounds in the process.

With Taylor Vard as acting chef d’equipe while Robert Splaine oversaw an Irish win in the five-star Nations Cup in St Gallen, a team made up of Daniel Coyle, James Chawke, Jennifer Crooks and Conor Swail, finished in third place overall on a 16 fault total.

Photo: The Irish team who finished third in the Canadian Nations Cup (l-r) Daniel Coyle, James Chawke, Conor Swail and Jennifer Crooks
Making his senior Nations Cup debut, Derry’s Daniel Coyle was foot perfect in each round with the nine-year-old gelding Tennyson, while Conor Swail also came home fault free with the 10-year-old stallion Grafton. The only other double clear round of the competition came from Tiffany Foster for the home team riding Victor.

James Chawke and the Vanessa Mannix-owned Eros H had two fences down in the opening round, while Ireland also counted an eight fault score in the second round from Jennifer Crooks riding SF Uryadi, who is owned by Olivia Cox-Fill and Stella Farm.

Taylor Vard said: “These three and four-star Nation Cup’s are used to produce both horses and riders and we did that today with Daniel Coyle jumping double clear with Susan Grange’s Tennyson in their very first Nations Cup. Conor Swail also delivered a double clear on Susan and Ariel Grange’s Grafton and all our riders played a part delivering scores that counted. I would particularly like to thank the owners for making their horses available for the Irish team.”

Mexico won the competition on a 12 fault total, while the home team from Canada finished second on 14 faults just ahead of Ireland, while The United States finished fourth. Two Irish Sport Horses delivered clear rounds for the American’s – Special Lux partnered by Jonathan McCrea and the 20-year-old stallion Flexible with Rich Fellers.